Sidney Madden

SZA invokes the angst, anarchy and audacity of pop-punk predecessors like Fefe Dobson and Avril Lavigne on “F2F,” relishing her role as the toxic ex.

The LA-based performer’s high-octane set for NPR Music’s anniversary celebration served up bars and bravado to a crowd at the 9:30 Club.

In hip-hop, unwritten rules have forced Black women and queer artists to fight for space. Can the genre’s rule-breakers push their way to the center, while pushing the culture forward?

The singer Cassie has accused the rap mogul of subjecting her to years of abuse, in a suit made possible by the Adult Survivors Act. Can the case spark a sexual assault reckoning within hip-hop?

Rapper Nicki Minaj put out her first album in five years Friday. Her legacy as the best-selling female rapper of all time includes 132 chart entries on the Hot 100.

On Sunday, Jay-Z accepted an honorary Grammy by taking gentle aim at the awards’ failure to support Black musicians. “We want y’all to get it right — at least get it close to right,” he said.

Something’s different about the arrival of the latest African pop stars on the international scene. They are finding success as a wave without compromising or catering to the American music industry.

The rap mogul has been accused of sexual misconduct in five different civil suits since November 2023, dating back to the beginning of one of hip-hop’s most influential careers.

The South African singer brought a homegrown genre, amapiano, to new ears with a viral hit and a Grammy. With her debut album, she wants to prove the world is ready for a full-blown African pop star.

Is the much-hyped sequel to <em>Renaissance</em> a country album? In many ways, yes — but it’s also a sprawling collage of disparate references, while remaining a Beyoncé album at its heart.